Danxia Mountain in Shaoguan, Guangdong, has just added three new species to its biodiversity roster! A team led by Professor Jia Fenglong from Sun Yat-sen University's School of Life Sciences, and the team of Professor He Ailan from Shaoguan University respectively uncovered two water beetles and one spider species.
With these discoveries, the total number of new species found at Danxia Mountain has now reached 48, including 24 plant species, 17 animal species, and 7 types of fungi and microbes.
(Photo: Danxia Mountain scenic spot)
Jia Fenglong introduced that the two newly discovered beetle species are both hydrophilic and thrive on damp, shaded cliffs. Among them, Satonius cheni Liang, Jiang, Bergston, Jia & Ge is the tiniest beetle species ever found, measuring just 1.2-1.4 mm in length and 0.8-0.9 mm in width. This is the first time a Satonius species has been discovered at Danxia Mountain. The species is named after Chen Zaixiong, a staff member of Danxiashan National Natural Reserve, for his generous help in material collecting.
Satonius cheni Liang, Jiang, Bergston, Jia & Ge (Photo: Nanfang Metropolis Daily)
The Agraphydrus danxiaensis Jia & Yang is slightly larger, measuring 2.1-2.3 mm in length. It has unique features, such as uniformly yellow-brown maxillary palpomeres, black labrum, clypeus and frons, and reddish-brown preocular patches.
Agraphydrus danxiaensis Jia & Yang (Photo: Nanfang Metropolis Daily)
In total, eight new aquatic beetle species have been discovered in the Danxia Mountain area recently, thanks to the region's rich aquatic habitats that provide ideal conditions for beetle diversity.
The Orthobula nigra He & Jin is the fourth new spider species identified at Danxia Mountain by He Ailan's team. This tiny spider, measuring around 2 mm in length, belongs to the Orthobula genus. It can be found in a range of habitats, including humid rainforests, arid grasslands, deserts, and tree canopies, though it is most commonly collected from the leaf litter.
Orthobula nigra He & Jin (Photo: Nanfang Metropolis Daily)
There are now 25 known species in the Orthobula genus worldwide, with nine species in China, mostly in the southern regions, including two species in Guangdong. The discovery of Orthobula nigra adds to the spider diversity of Danxia Mountain, which is already home to over 100 spider species.
Author: Huang Xinying
Editor: Wei Shen, James, Shen He
